1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an improvement in hose connectors for coupling flexible hoses together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art of connecting flexible hoses has involved various devices for insertion in the bore of the flexible hose. In some instances the hose connector has embodied a single metallic body having a central bore and an exterior form in which the ends are tapered to an enlarged midposition, and in which the tapered ends have a series of barb rings which grip the surface of the hose bore and create a labyrinth seal to stop leakage of the medium, such as a gas or a fluid, to be conducted through the hose. It is known that metallic hose connectors are heavy, costly to produce, and require excessive waste of metal in order to form tapered ends for the series of barb rings.
In the place of metallic hose connectors, it is known to form connectors of molded plastic materials in two pieces which have a slip fit to unite the pieces to complete a connector. The two-piece connector requires substantial precision in molding the surface which have the slip fit so that a leakproof joint can be created when the pieces are adhesively joined. The problem with two-piece hose connectors is that the mating of the two parts creates a bulky body which is cylindrical for ease of molding, excessive material is required, and the precision required to make a slip fit adds to the cost of production.
There are several additional types of molded plastic hose connectors, one of which is similar to the foregoing two-piece body with the slip fit, except that the two parts have enlarged flanges which are secured in abutment to make the final form of the connector into a single body hose connector. Another hose connector is made into a single body in which one end set of barbs is larger in diameter than the opposite end set of barbs, and these different barbed ends are connected by a small diameter plain tubular portion. This last hose connector is intended to be used for connecting hoses of different diameters.